2 Parents Minus 1 Child Equals A Journey
by Blak-Ice
Summary: Sequel to 1 Human Plus 2 Halfas Equals A Family. Having finally come to her senses, Danielle has run away from home once again with Cujo by her side. With a fire of determination in them, Team Phantom sets out to find her. But with the Guys in White hot on her tail too, who will get to Danielle first and in who's hands does her fate lie?
1. Chapter 1: Aftermath

**Welcome, everyone, to the next story in the Parenting Series: **_**2 Parents Minus A Child Equals A Journey**_**. For those of you who are new, and just clicked on this story, I'd like to say hello, and tell you that before you begin to read this one, you need to go read the first one, **_**1 Human Plus 2 Halfas Equals A Family,**_** because if you don't, you will get a bit lost on some of the points that have been mentioned in this one as this is the sequel. If you're not new and are here to continue the tale from the original, well then I won't hold you up any longer. **

**So thank you, and enjoy!**

Chapter 1: Aftermath

March 4th. A day that would forever be burned into her memory like it had been cauterized there with a hot flaming needle. A day that haunted her still, and would continue too for the rest of her life and afterlife. A day that brought her nothing but sadness and guilt that constricted around her heart like a snake coiling around a mouse.

It was on that day that Danielle Lilith witnessed her father get shot while protecting her from Ray, leader of the Renegades, a gang she had stupidly decided to join. One could not blame her for doing it; after her true birth origin was discovered and used to destroy her life by a thirteen year old girl with a huge superiority complex, Danielle felt her whole world begin to crumble around her like an avalanche. People mocked her, taunted her and pulled horrible pranks on her. And she couldn't even defend herself, especially not after she had gone on a bit of a rampage and tried to maim the girl who had caused it all. She had been forbidden to use her powers at school other then in an emergency, and to ensure that it stayed that way she was required to wear a specially made Specter Deflector that she could wear without getting shocked so long as she didn't use any of her powers.

It only got worse as all her friends left her to fend for herself. It was almost too simple for the Renegades to pick up the broken pieces of her heart that had been left behind and stomped on. They helped her to get her confidence back, but then it didn't take long for her to become too full of herself as she tried to prove just how strong she was. Her bad attitude sent everything spiraling out of control which eventually lead to her almost losing her father.

Luck seemed to be on her side on that day though because just as Ray had prepared to finish her father off, Danielle had developed a new power. One that was extremely powerful, and yet could also leave her completely vulnerable if over used. It was a technique that she had seen her father use before, and knew that it was one not to be used as freely as the others. The amount of power that could be built up and expanded from her lungs and throat was truly a site to see.

Danielle had performed her very own Ghostly Wail. However, the wail was something that her father had developed and named. She could not and would not take his technique. Her version, though similar, was a much higher pitch and had caused Ray to bleed from his ears; something that she knew could only happen if the decibels were high enough. No, what she had done was not wailing, but screaming. The screaming of a child who had lost so much. A Spectral Scream, as she called it, held so much of her pain and emotion, it was no wonder she lost so much energy when she used it.

From there it was simple for her to decide on what to do; she'd leave her family behind and protect them from all the cruelty that life seemed to throw at her. She'd travel the world alone and stay away from them. At least, that had been the plan until a very unexpected companion had joined her.

The night she had planned to run away, Danielle had been followed by her pet dog, Cujo, who was beyond loyal to her. She had tried to send him back home, but she knew he was too stubborn and too loyal to let her go all by herself, and so, he joined her, staying by her side. To be honest, she was beyond grateful for the company and loved the little green dog dearly.

It had been a tough choice for her to leave it all behind, but she had done it for the people she cared about, and that's all she needed. Of course she did feel better when she had seen that Ray had been charged with many crimes, including attempted murder, as well as being rendered deaf from "unknown causes". But Danielle couldn't lie to herself and say she didn't miss her family. Especially today.

May 31st. Danielle knew that the day was important because it was her mother's 16th birthday. A day she had memorized alongside many others, but this one was to be a special one. There had been a big surprise and a party that her father had planned months ago, but that didn't matter now. Danielle could just imagine how it would all have gone. Her and her dad would take her mom out to all her favorite places while everyone else set up for the party. They'd surprise her, and have a huge celebration with all her favorite foods. And then they'd surprise her with gifts. But she was never going to see that. Not ever, and to even think about it was simply a cruel reminder of what she no longer had.

"Maybe I should give them a call," she said to Cujo as she stood next to a payphone. Though he was invisible, she knew he was there. She didn't know how, but she knew it had something to do with the bond that they had developed. "I mean, it's the least I could do, right? It is her birthday after all."

Danielle stared at the payphone anxiously. Upon her departure, Danielle had purposely left her phone on the bed because if there was one thing she knew, it was that that thing was nothing more than a tracking device that could make phone calls and send various types of messages, especially with a tech savvy person like Tucker at her parent's disposal. Not that it mattered; she remembered all their numbers by heart.

"If I do call them though, then we'd have to leave town immediately, Cujo. You know we can't risk them knowing where we are. What do you think?"

Her small companion faded into site, dropping his invisibility to look up at her and barked happily as he ran around the phone in a circle. Danielle sighed in exasperation. She should have known he'd pick that option.

"Yeah, yeah. Ok, I get it. I owe it to them to at least let them know I'm ok and to wish Mom a happy birthday. I mean, it's been almost two months since they've heard from me and it's just one call. One phone call. Then, we leave."

Danielle began digging in her jeans pocket, pulling out five quarters. She had just enough change for her to make a single phone call. Looking down to her dog, who sat expectedly at her feet, Danielle pushed the coins into the slot at the top of the machine, pausing to take a deep breath just before placing the receiver up to her ear and dialing the number.

The line began to ring, and Danielle could feel the urge to hang up growing stronger and stronger with every ring. Part of her was excited that she was going to hear her parents voice again while another, larger part of her was so nervous that she actually hoped that they wouldn't pick up the phone. At least then she could leave a message to let them know she was alright.

"_Hello?"_ A voice said as they picked up the receiver. Danielle froze up instantly. Something wasn't right here. The voice belonged to someone she knew, at yet it sounded so unfamiliar at the same time. The voice that used to be strong yet sweet now sounded tired and beaten. Sad didn't even begin to describe how the person sounded right now, and Danielle didn't know how to react to it other than to speak up.

"Mo-mom? Mom, is that you?" Danielle's voice was quiet and shaky as she gripped the receiver in her hand tightly. A loud gasp came from the other end before the life seemed to come back to the voice.

"_Danielle!? Is that you!? Where are you!?"_ Sam asked. There was quick click on the other end, and Danielle could suddenly hear what sounded like someone running and breathing, leading her to believe that she was now on speakerphone.

"Yeah, it's me, Mom," she said, swallowing and trying to hold herself together. "I-"

"_Danielle!?"_ Another voice said.

"Hi, Dad," she said, a bit hesitantly. "How're you feeling?"

Ok, even she knew that was a stupid question, so the answer she got didn't surprise her in the least.

"_How am I feeling!?"_ Danny nearly yelled into the phone. _"We've been worried sick! Do you have any idea how worried we've been about you!? Where are you?"_

"Sorry, Daddy," she said in a guilty voice. She knew that they'd be worried and probably really upset with her, but that didn't make it any easier to hear him say it. "But now you guys can stop worrying because now you know I'm ok. And I've got Cujo with me too." The small dog barked loudly, letting his presence be known by the two on the other line, but Danielle doubted that was going to reassure them very much.

"_Ok? Danielle, you need to come home,"_ Sam said. _"We want you to come home. If this is about what happened, we already told you that nobody blames you for it-"_

"You guys don't blame me for it. Everyone else does," Danielle said, her mood becoming slightly bitter. "I've seen the new reports, Mom. I've heard what people have said about me and about you. I know that everyone thinks I'm some kind of danger to the town and that it's my fault that the Renegades were getting more dangerous."

"_Ellie-"_

"Don't call me that!" she shouted, her eyes burning as she felt like crying. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, and I don't deserve to be treated like a member of a family that I almost tore apart because I was being a selfish, stupid brat!"

"_Danielle Lilith Fenton, you listen and you listen very good,"_ Sam said, but Danielle could hear the wavering of her voice which only meant that she was probably trying not to cry too. _"We don't care what you did. We don't care about what everyone else says about us or you. What happened was an accident, an unintentional event, which means that you should not be held to blame like some type of criminal. We love you, and we miss you. Now tell us where you are so we can come get you and bring you home where you belong."_

"No! Don't you get it!? I can't come back because I don't want to come back! I told you that everywhere I go bad things happen and I just end up getting someone hurt. But this was so much worse than anything else. I almost got Dad killed. The whole family would have fallen apart, and I just can't stand the fact that you can all just act like I didn't almost ruin all your lives! I'm trying to keep you safe from me, and I can't do that if I'm always around and worrying about what'll happen if I do something." Danielle paused to take a breath as a few tears ran down her face. This was a mistake, just like she thought, but it was too late to turn back now. "It's too late for me, ok? Just…forget that I ever existed. Go back to the way things were before Vlad made me. Live your lives. Start a real family and just pretend that I never was part of your lives. I've already caused enough damage and you'll happier for it." Danielle had to steel her nerves for what she was about to say next, knowing it was going to tear both her and her parents apart. "This is the last you're going to hear from me. I'm never coming back, so don't waste your time hoping for it or looking for me. And before I hang up…Happy birthday, _Sam_. And _Danny_? I'm sorry for everything. Have a nice life guys."

She quickly slammed the receiver onto the hook, not waiting for any type of response. She stood for only a few seconds before her knees buckled and she fell to the ground, crying into her hands. Cujo whimpered helplessly before forcing his way into her lap. Danielle held onto him tight as she cried her eyes out.

"I know this isn't what you hoped would happen, Cujo," Danielle said, petting him slowly as her tears began to slow down. "It's not your fault. I knew that they were gonna try to get me to come home, but you know that I can't. As hard as this is, this is for the best."

Cujo hated the sad look on his mistress's face. He always did what he could to try and make her comfortable and happy, even allowing himself to be her bed and pillow for the last almost two months. Leaning up, he gently licked the tears off of her face, bringing a small smile to her lips.

"Thanks, Cujo," she said as she got to her feet and held him in her arms. Looking around, she was thankful that no one was around, and transformed, allowing herself to become a ghost. Gently lifting off the ground, Danielle began to charge a Ghost Ray in her hand. Looking down at the payphone sitting harmlessly on the stand, Danielle fired, destroying it and reducing the device to a now harmless pile of ash. As the smoke cleared, Danielle flew higher into the air.

"No more tears. I can't lose focus now," she said, Cujo barking back in response. "Yep. We're leaving Shreveport. Every second counts, and we don't have time to waste. I mean, we've been gone less the two months and have already covered most of the mid-west. And before you say anything, yes, I know that's a lot, but you know I'm paranoid. Only question now is where to go from here?" Once again, her companion barked, answering her question. "Hmm…southeast, huh? I guess that wouldn't be too bad. We could make our way to Florida and then ride the east cost for a while. Maybe get across the ocean."

Danielle heard the all too familiar sounds of her stomach growling, causing her to blush in embarrassment while Cujo barked happily at her.

"Oh shut up! Ok, so us trying to make it across the ocean is a bit of an impossibility considering our limited food supply and the fact that there's pretty much nowhere to rest. We probably wouldn't even make it through the first half of day one. So what else can we do?"

Cujo began to bark excitedly while Danielle listened carefully to what he was getting at. It didn't sound like too bad of a plan so long as they stayed in hiding and didn't get themselves noticed. They could pull it off so long as they could avoid certain parts of the continent, and from there it would be pretty easy to slip under the radar.

"I think maybe that we could do that, but instead of flying along the cost and landing on an island that we probably shouldn't, what if we head north from Florida? We could avoid the mid-western area by going over it and heading west _before_ heading south. If we can make it to Mexico, we can slip under the radar and never have to worry about getting found again because no one in the country would be looking for us! How does that sound?" The green puppy barked happily, making Danielle role her eyes at him. "Of course you don't care how we get there. You just wanna say it was you idea."

With a soft giggle, Danielle picked up the speed, heading for the edge of town and to her next destination.

Agent K paced around the office him and his partner, Agent O, shared, a look of disapproval and anger on his face. Things had not gone well for the two agents, and it was all thanks to that Phantom kid. First, he makes a fool of them at every turn, then he stops them from destroying the Ghost Zone, and then he saves the world using ghosts! They were nothing but scum, and somehow, he got them to work with him.

Of course that only led to more problems for the two. Constant failures were already bad enough, but then the Ghosts proved that they really weren't as dangerous or as bad as everyone thought they were which hit their department hard. They were no longer allowed to investigate anything as they pleased. Now, they had to have a probable cause that a ghost was causing a problem, and even then, they had to report to an expert in the field. And the only ones willing to work with them were…the Fenton's.

The two Agents couldn't stand the fact that they were now taking commands from a punk teenager just because he was supposedly more knowledgeable on the subject then they were, though the Fenton's weren't any happier about the arrangement. But they were getting special government funding that was originally going to the Guy in White, so they would deal with them if need be. And fortunately for them, they didn't have to deal with them often.

Agent K was beyond livid, however, because of one simple fact: They were humiliated and the laughing stocks of the world. Here they were, supposed to be the best at dealing with Ghosts, and they couldn't handle one kid at all. Then, to make matters worse, two more show up to "protect" the world.

"This is completely unacceptable," he said to his partner who was sitting behind his desk searching through files for anything that they could look into. "How could this have happened? How could we let a bunch of kids trump us like this?"

"Simple. They're noisy and stick their snotty little noses where they don't belong," O said with distain. "What bugs me is all this talk about Phantom being a parent. I mean, how do we know that the girl isn't just some little brat he picked up to try and keep from getting caught by us? For all we know, she's nothing but a danger to us all and he's just trying to cover up so he can look good."

Agent K stopped his pacing as his partner's words swirled around in his head. That made sense. They didn't know anything about this girl other than what Phantom had told everyone, and for all they knew, she was danger to everyone, even Phantom himself. But that wasn't going to be enough. They needed more.

"O, tell me, do we have a list of what this girl had been up to?"

"Right here," he said, pulling up her file. "We have property damage, reckless endangerment to humans, attempted assault on a human and, most recently, gang related activities as well as going AWOL. Based on what we've seen, she hasn't been seen in Amity Park for almost two months. But it doesn't matter. So long as she's wearing Phantom's logo, she's protected and under his jurisdiction."

"That may be true, but," K said with a twisted smile on his face. "Let's not forget that we have no other information on this girl other then what Phantom has told everyone. Based on her record of activities, I believe that we at least have probable cause to investigate this girl and find out if she's really on the up and up, or if she's a dangerous entity that needs to be taken care of."

Agent O smiled a similar smile as his partner. "Yes, she has indeed shown probable cause for investigation and, as will probably be necessary, detainment until forth notice and information has been collected."

"Suit up, O. We're going to catch ourselves a Phantom."

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2: The Call

**Ok, so first I'd like to thank everyone for the support of this series. But before we get into the chapter, I'd like to share with you all a review that really just made me laugh. **

**Guest: **This is bullshit u just keep doing the same thing she leavse they find her she comse back but can't take the shame but she never will get over it if she dosent stay and work it out u should end it this is the last chapter I'm reading find somthing ur better at

**Now, this is directly copy and pasted from the review (so all the spelling mistakes are really there), and I just had to laugh and point this out. **

**The first was the fact that they weren't even brave enough to sign in to insult me. Like, seriously, are you scared or something? Talk smack, but too scared to admit who you are? **

**The second thing was the fact that they obviously don't understand something called character development. I have Danielle doing certain things because it's developing her as a character for the series. **

**The third is that they said I should end it. I'm sorry, but why exactly should I end it? Because you, a single person out of many who have read the story, believes I should? Because you're opinion matters above all the people who enjoy it and above me, the author, who shall do as he sees fit? Yeah, ok.**

**But the one that really got me and made me laugh was when they said I should find something I'm better at. You, a person who can't use correct punctuation, capitalization, sentences, and uses "u" and "ur" because you're lazy, are telling me that I should find something I'm better at? I'm sorry, but you are a moron, are insignificant, and have no room to tell me about how bad I am at writing. Lol. **

**Again, I wasn't offended at all by this because it was so bad that it made me laugh, and I just wanted to point out how some people just love to hate. **

**Well, enough about that. Let's get on with the story!**

Chapter 2: The Call

Amity Park. A town known for being infested with ghosts and other things of the paranormal spectrum, it was rare that it was ever quiet. Or it had been before the incident that almost left the town without its famous protector, Danny Phantom. Unfortunately, the incident did leave them one protector short in the young Danielle Phantom, whom the town had recently discover was actually his biological daughter. Many were surprised by this information, especially because of the resulting reaction she had to her secret being exposed the way it had.

After her outburst at school, many parents became concerned about their children's safety as well as Danny and Sam's ability to properly parent Danielle being that they were teenagers themselves. This lead to an unfortunate result, a forcing of Danny's hand; he had to physically restrict Danielle from using her powers, something that for him alone was a horrific feeling, but to someone like Danielle, who had her powers since her birth and used them to survive, the thought was downright cruelty.

Things only seemed to spiral out of control from there as she started to distance herself from her family, lashing out at them and shirking her responsibilities. Though worried, Danny and Sam had decided on giving her space, feeling that she just needed time to get herself back on track. That is, until they discovered that she had actually been a part of a gang. That was the straw that broke the camel's back, leading to a very frustrating confrontation and resulting in her running away. The two wasted no time in trying to track her down, and their labor paid off, for Danny did find her just in time to save her from getting murdered by a disgusting punk. Unfortunately, the method he went about doing so resulted in him getting shot, and nearly dying himself, leaving him incapacitated for over two weeks. But Danny didn't mind, so long as he had his daughter back and that everything was going to be ok.

He couldn't have been more wrong, for when Sam showed up to the hospital with a note from Danielle, explaining her reason for running away for good, Danny thought he was going to go completely insane.

Day after day, reporters would try to speak with him and get a comment on the incident, as well as the whereabouts of the young phantom that was responsible for his incapacitation as well as her involvement in gang related activities. Danny didn't know how they got the information, but he knew that he wasn't about to answer any of their questions, especially when he was too busy concerning himself with getting out of bed and finding Danielle. Of course, his repeated refusals to answer them did not stop the reporters; that is until one nearly got blasted out of the hospital when Danny yelled at her, releasing a small bit of his Ghostly Wail that shook the entire floor he was on. Needless to say, that kept everyone except his family and closest friends away. Most had decided to just make up their own reports, blaming it all on Danny and his family and stating that if they had been able to handle her better, it wouldn't have happened. Danny ignored them all, not caring what anyone had said about him. However, that did little to solve his problem.

Danny had tried almost every day to stand up and get out of bed sooner so he could help with the search, and though he was stubborn, Sam was even more so. Even though she knew he was healing quickly, she refused to let him go further than the bathroom on his own. She wasn't worried he'd try to escape because she knew how weak he was at the moment, and even if he did actually make it out of the hospital, it wouldn't take her very much to find him. It did, however, get very old very fast, to the point that Sam had to use her vines to restrain him to the bed. Though he wasn't happy about it, Danny knew she was doing it for his own good, and eventually gave in.

However, he wasn't the only one trying to get up and going again. Tucker had his hands full with the constant complaints from frustrated citizens. It was the same thing every time; someone would come to complain, demand to know what he was planning to do about all of this, and that something needed to be done about Danielle. Many voted that she be banished from town forever, and it was at that point that Tucker had heard enough and called a press conference.

"Let me be as clear and as blunt about this as possible; I WILL NOT condemn a little girl because she has made a mistake or two. Though it is true that she was part of a gang, one that had been plaguing the town for some time, she is to be treated as fair as anyone else in this town," Tucker said into the many microphones placed before him. Many people began to yell questions at him, but he ignored them and continued his rant. "Let's look at it in another light; if we were to condemn her, why shouldn't we condemn all people who have been in a gang or committed a crime? Who cares about if they reformed themselves and made things better for their families, they're still a criminal, right? So all you adults out there with a record, we should banish you so you can never see your families again. So you can never see your children or grandchildren again. And to anyone who has a child who's done something wrong, how would you feel if you had to say goodbye to your child forever? It would hurt, right? You can't imagine it, right? Well then think about others before you start to judge!

"As a very close family friend to the Fentons, Danny especially, I know Danielle a lot better than any of you, and I can say that what happened to her could have happened to anyone. These kids have problems; problems that they don't think anyone can understand other then someone who has gone through the same thing. How would you feel if your entire world started crashing around you, and instead of people helping you, they just stood by and laughed like it was all some big joke? Well that's what happened here. People pushed Danielle away, making her feel like she didn't belong. But she did. And you know what makes it worse? The fact that many of you treated her that way. She was a child, and not just a child, but an infant. I'm sure many of you know that Danielle wasn't born in a natural way, but I would bet none of you actually thought about the fact that she was only a little over a year old. And yet she has done so much for all of you. She's risked her life time and time again to protect you, and she has been through more than any of you could ever imagine. But you know what? I don't think this is even about the fact she was part of a gang. No, I believe that this is more about the fact that many of you still have prejudice against ghosts, and are taking it out on her simply because she's a child who made a mistake. So let me leave you with this; I am now, and will continue to side with a little girl who was confused and trying to make her way in the world, and if you don't like it, well then come next election, you can all vote for a new mayor."

Tucker had left the stage without another word or glance at the very stunned crowd. He didn't really care what they were going to say about him, though he was certain that it would turn into a lot of negative press for him. To his surprise, people weren't angry neither at his choice nor at what he had said but had actually taken it to heart, and had stopped coming to his office to complain. He was beyond relieved because it meant he could get back to helping everyone else with the search.

Danny had watched the whole thing and couldn't have agreed with Tucker more about what had been said. But that did little to ease his mind. He couldn't wait for the day to come where he would get out of the hospital, and when that day finally arrived, he and Sam wasted no time in heading straight for FentonWorks where everyone had gathered, using it as a base for operations.

"So, do we have any clues whatsoever?" Danny asked as she and Sam walked up to the group consisting of both humans and ghosts, both still in their ghost forms.

Tucker shook his head, watching a look of disappointment come to his friend's face. "I've gone over every scenario I could with you parents, checked every news and web source for any recent mentioning of her, but nothing other than the usual negative press about the incident. I can't track her phone either because she left it here. It's like she just…vanished."

Danny turned to Valarie with a somewhat hopeful expression. If anyone had the equipment to track her, it had to be her, especially since it had been designed by Vlad who had been hell bent on finding Danielle. Sadly, Valarie's response was much the same.

"I scanned the entire town after she left. I found a few of her foot prints at the edge of town, but, other than that, nothing. She probably flew the whole way so that there wouldn't be any residual traces of her ecto-energy. For all I know, she vanished into the Ghost Zone the second she left town." Valarie looked to the ghosts in the room which consisted of Danny's allies: Frostbite, Princess Dora, Wulf, Youngblood, and, to the surprise of many, Ember, though she stood to the back and said little to nothing the entire time.

"No, amiko," Wulf said, his ears drooping in sadness.

"He is right, Great One," Frostbite said. "No word has gone around the Ghost Zone about any sightings of young Danielle."

"But the Ghost Zone is a big place. How would you all know if she was there or not?" Jazz asked.

"News travels fast in the Ghost Zone, dear," Dora said. "All ghosts know of the hero of both the Ghost Zone and of Earth, Danny Phantom. And although Ghost children are not a rarity, halfas are. Of course with her very striking resemblance to him, it would be near impossible for one not to notice the relation, and though some would take advantage of this, most would not risk bringing the wrath of Sir Phantom on them. However, that does not mean that the news of her arrival would not be broadcasted and travel around very quickly."

"So, basically, ghosts like to gossip a lot?"

"We're dead, dear. We need some form of entertainment."

"Well, in any case, Danielle wouldn't go there unless it was an emergency," Sam said. "Danny and I forbade her from going in there alone unless it was an absolute emergency like a massive invasion, and even then, she knows only to go to either Frostbite's kingdom, Dora's kingdom, Clockwork's tower or Ember's lair. If that were the case, she definitely wouldn't go because she knows that there would be no way any of you would let her stay and not let us know of her whereabouts."

"You're darn right! I bet she'd come to me first because she knows that I'd help her with anything, even hiding," Youngblood said proudly. Everyone looked at him in disapproval, though he didn't seem to notice until Ember smacked him in the back of the head. Youngblood groaned, and started to whine before demanding an answer to what her problem was.

"You're not helping, genius!" she chastised.

"Do you think she may have gone toward Wisconsin?" Maddie asked. "I mean, what would be the chances we'd actually think to look in Vlad's place for her?"

"No. There's no way," Danny said. "She was created in Colorado, and she can't stand Vlad. Going to hide in one of his mansions would be like walking into your worst enemy's house; just the atmosphere alone would make you sick and you wouldn't be able to stay for long. Not to mention with it under government control, she'd be spotted and they'd notify us as soon as possible. No, it'd be too risky."

"I just can't figure out why she would do something like this?" Jazz said. "I mean, after everything that happened, why?"

"I do," Danny said as he glared at the ground and clutched his fists in anger. Everyone watched him carefully as his aura began to flare slightly, his breathing growing ragged. "Danielle…is…well…it's her hero complex. It's just…it's been completely twisted and warped to the point it's even more complicated than mine."

"More than yours? How is that even possible?"

"Ever since I got my powers, I've wanted to do what I felt was right with them. However, I never had to choose between doing what I _knew_ was right, and what someone _told_ me was right. When Danielle was born, she believed whatever Vlad told her, did what he said and believed what he was telling her was the right thing to do. It wasn't until Vlad tried to get her to overshadow me that she broke free from him, but everything he had told her was still there. All the lessons on revenge and about using her powers to get what she wanted were still implanted in her mind, and it was those things that actually helped her to survive until we brought her here. All that did was to serve and confuse her. In all honesty, I don't think she ever really knew if anything she was doing was right or wrong. It all could have been survival for her. I had worried about it until she came here and we took her in. "

"But that doesn't make sense," Valarie said. "When I first met her, she had pocketed a couple of apples. The look she had was without a doubt one of regret. And then, when the building was falling around me, she came out of her hiding place and saved me even though I was hunting her. There's no way she didn't know what was right and wrong."

"No. That's not what I'm saying. She of course knew the basics, but her knowledge of what is and isn't became skewed because of she feared how people would see her. She always tried hard to prove herself because with her being cloned from Sam and me, she always felt that she wasn't the same. After she broke away from Vlad, she was left on her own to figure out if what she was doing was good or bad, but with the way the world is when it comes to ghosts, it just boiled down to one simple fact: she was scared."

"That makes sense, but what about after she came here? I mean, with having a family and parents, what was there for her to be scared of?" Tucker asked.

"I wish it had really been that simple, but it couldn't have been. By then I figured she wouldn't have to worry about it as much because we were all here and she would just follow our lead. She knew that we only did what's best. But her complex was so deep, that even the smallest thing could make her feel like she was doing something wrong. So what happens when we were forced to strap a belt onto her to keep her from using her powers? Why do you think she was so nervous about staying? About how she thought that we wouldn't want her?"

"I can't believe it…I never knew…I never saw it…" Sam said, holding herself as the guilt made her stomach hurt. "I guess I always just figured it was because she didn't want to burden anyone."

Danny shook his head, but moved toward Sam, hugging her to try and comfort her. Sam leaned her head against his chest, wrapping her arms around him. Her body shook, and even though she would deny it up and down later, it was pretty obvious she was crying. But no one said anything, letting her get her frustrations out. Sam didn't take long to pull herself together, and once she was back to her cool, collected self, she nodded for Danny to continue.

"Going back to what I was saying before, that was only part of it," Danny said. "For the most part, she was just afraid of hurting us or us getting hurt from something she did because in her mind, that would mean that she wasn't doing the right thing and that she had caused something bad to happen. If there was one thing that she was always worried about, it was the effect her actions could have on us and us getting hurt. When I first stopped her from leaving after we found out we were her parents, she told me that she was afraid we wouldn't like her because every time she showed up, someone got hurt and that she messed up our lives somehow.

"I thought she was getting better, but there was still that doubt in her mind. I think once her secret got out and people started shunning her, she started to fall back into that mindset that she felt after she betrayed Vlad. It was like they were all just constantly reminding her that she wasn't normal, that she didn't belong; that she couldn't be what they wanted her to be, and that hurt her more than she thought any of us could know. Then that Ray guy came in, acting like he cared and that he could understand how she felt."

Danny's anger began to flare again as he thought about the little bastard that had used his daughter for his own purposes. It only got worse as he thought of all the things that he could have possibly made Danielle do, and all Danny wanted to do was go to where the kid was being held, and teach him a lesson.

"He gave her false hope and acceptance. That was when her complex was at its peak, and over time, it just got worse and worse. That's when she started arguing with us and disrespecting everyone. She was confused. She didn't know who to believe. With Ray, she got understanding but had to do things she knew were wrong to get it."

"That's why she kept it all secret from us," Sam said. "Because she thought it was the opposite with us. She knew that we accepted her, but she felt that we could never understand how she felt."

"Exactly. And so, she went with the trade off that she felt would help her best. She didn't want us to worry or to get involved because she thought she could handle it all on her own. Of course now her ideas are so twisted, she's completely convinced herself that keeping her distance from us is best, and it's all because that stupid little bastard shot me!" Danny yelled, his frustration so overwhelming, he quickly turned around and punch the wall, creating a large dent in it. His body shook with rage and sadness as he continued to rant. "Because of that worthless little punk, she ran away! All because he had to confirm everything that she was afraid of, my daughter is gone!"

Danny punched the wall a few more times to let out his aggression, but with ever punch, more and more tears would fall until finally, all he could do was cry. What kind of superhero was he if he couldn't even protect his daughter, someone who looked up to him and who needed him for protection?

No one said a word as he slid to his knees, body shaking violently with all the anger and sorrow he had been building up inside himself ever since he found out she had runaway. Sam walked over to him, enveloping him in her arms for it was her turn to comfort him. And she held onto him, even as her own tears ran down her face.

"We'll find her Danny. I promise."

Danny sighed at the memory. Well over two months later, and they were still ice cold on the trail. They had tried every possible way to find her, but nothing worked. Wulf was unable to track her scent since it was long faded. Their tracking equipment helped very little, and the only thing that could track her specifically was the Boooomerang, and they had yet to figure out how to keep it from hitting Danny when thrown. Danny had even tried using the Infi-Map, and that turned into even more of a depressing failure then he'd thought possible.

Danny had gone to Frostbite for assistance, and the yeti ghost was more than willing to help. However, the map had other plans.

"I'm sorry, Great One, but it seems that the map cannot help you. Young Danielle's first name is much too common to pin point her, and it appears that even with her first and middle name, it is still much too common to be exact."

"But what about her full name? That would work right?"

Frostbite hated it, but he could only shake his head no. "I'm sorry, but it cannot. If that were the person's last name, then it could, but should the person change their name or…renounce their family's name, they can no longer be considered part of it. Meaning-"

"She doesn't consider herself a Fenton or a Phantom anymore," Danny said sadly as his mind returned to the way Danielle had addressed the letter she had left. Danny thanked his friend, and left for home immediately, his heart constricting painfully at the thought that his daughter really didn't consider herself his daughter anymore. Danny had just about reached his wits end.

To make matters worse, Cujo was nowhere to be found, meaning that they were really out of options. Danny wasn't sure how, but Cujo could always find Danielle. Even if she was lost in the Ghost Zone somewhere, the little green dog could find her. But for some reason, he was nowhere to be found either, though Danny had the strong suspicion that he was probably with Danielle, wherever she was. Though that made him feel slightly better, it couldn't ease his mind in the slightest.

As much as Danny didn't want to, today he wasn't going to think about Danielle. He wasn't going to concern himself with her because today wasn't her day. Today was Sam's day. Today was Sam's birthday, and he was going to make it a special one.

"Sam?" Danny called as he walked down the hall. Quickly poking his head into their room, he was a little surprised to find it empty.

"I'm in here."

Danny turned around to the room adjacent to theirs to find his girlfriend, sitting on a perfectly made bed, head held down as she looked at a picture in her hand. Danny could feel his stomach tightening as he walked past the door that had been replaced after being smashed earlier that year, but refused to look at the name designed creatively by its previous occupant. Not that he needed to; even if he were blind and lead around the house at random, he would know this room.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" he asked as he walked over and sat next to her. His gaze instantly fell onto the picture in her hands, and Danny couldn't help but feel a bit saddened at it. It was a picture of the three of them that Jazz had taken the day of the picnic. Danielle was propped up between the two of them, a bright smile on her face as each parent kissed one of her cheeks at the same time. "Oh…"

"I just…came to look around…" she said sadly, wiping a tear away from her eye. "I guess I was just hoping that maybe I'd come in here, and…find her sleeping in her bed or that maybe something was missing. You know; letting us know that she had been here recently and that she might be close by."

Danny nodded his head as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He knew exactly how she felt as he had often hoped for the same thing, but tried to never get his hopes up too high that it would happen. Danny often felt even worse about it because he would wake up at night, finding Sam crying next to him. Danny would always hold her and bring her closer to him to let her head rest on his chest while she cried. Being she was a light sleeper, Sam was never surprised when she felt him rubbing her back and whispering softly to her.

"I know how you feel, Sammie. I miss her too," he said. Despite her sadness, Sam smiled as she elbowed him lightly.

"I thought I told you never to call me that?"

"I know. Just like you know I only do it when I'm trying to get through to you," he said with a smile before placing a light kiss on her lips. "Today is your day. You're supposed to be celebrating on your birthday, not crying. I know it won't be the same without her, but can you at least try to enjoy yourself?"

Sam looked at him for a moment, preparing to debate the topic, but gave a reluctant sigh and a nod. She knew she wouldn't be able to not think about Danielle, but arguing the point with Danny was pointless, even though she didn't like all the attention. Even if it was her birthday.

"Alright, fine. I'll try to not think about it and have a nice birthday."

"Good," Danny said, kissing her again. "Wait here. I've got a special present for you."

Sam nodded her head and watched as he left the room. As soon as he reached the hallway, Danny transformed and phased up into the Ops Center. He carefully began to move a few useless boxes that he used to hide the gift. Moving the final box, Danny smiled as he pressed his finger on the scanner that buzzed and beeped as it conformed his DNA signature. A small panel opened up before a small glass dome began to rise up. As he lifted the tube off, Danny silently thanked the world that not only had his Dad been smart enough to build the compartment without the girls noticing, but that he had kept it all a secret from everyone else. The only other person who knew about the gift was Danielle, and that's because he had asked her to help him pick out the ring.

Yes, ring. Danny was going to propose to Sam, on her birthday. Sure, she probably would have found it a little cheesy, but Danny didn't care. He could still remember the excited look on Danielle's face when he told her the idea and that he needed her help in picking out a ring for Sam. The two spent months looking and gathering information, but finally, they got the perfect ring.

Danny sighed and phased through the floor back into the hallway. As he transformed back to normal, he had to remind himself not to think about her too much. As he walked back to Danielle's room, ring box in hand, he could vaguely hear the ringing of a phone. He instantly recognized the ringtone as one of Sam's, but ignored it as he paused in the hallway to give her privacy, figuring it was probably her grandmother, wishing her a happy birthday. Danny was beyond grateful that Ida had kept in contact with Sam, and even still gave her money in an account her parents couldn't access, telling her that she was not only still in the woman's Will, but that she had written Danielle into it too. Ida loved both Sam and Danielle, and was always willing to help in any way that she could.

"Hello?" Sam said. There was a pause and a gasp that got Danny's attention, but it wasn't until her heard what Sam said next that caused him to run down the hallway and back into the room to see her standing there, shocked and awestricken. "Danielle!? Is that you!? Where are you!?"

To Be Continued…


End file.
